


It's not from what we run that drums, but what's to come

by Wasthereever



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Ciri/Mistle - Freeform, Dimensional Travel, Happy Ending, Jaskier and Yennefer are bros, M/M, University professor Yennefer, Yennefer/tris, accidental dimensional travel, book and tv canon, kind of jaskier whump, university professor jaskier
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:08:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23343724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wasthereever/pseuds/Wasthereever
Summary: After fighting a demon, something goes a miss and Geralt slips onto another plane of existence. An alternate universe where apartment he and Jaskier are married.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion & Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Comments: 42
Kudos: 212





	1. Switch

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry to everyone who follows me for my Cats fic, I'll get back to it I swear!  
> I had inspiration for this so I decided to go for it!
> 
> This is inspired by a fic from another fandom which the author has since taken down. 
> 
> I'm still wrecked from reading the books, so I'm pulling from the both the TV show and the books. I have never played the games.
> 
> Title from Amazing Devil's Love Run

Geralt hated when his work forced him to deal with sorcerers. They had a tendency to develop remarkable egotism and idiocy all while convinced they were on the noble path towards enlightenment, truth and the greater good of humanity. It was a recipe for disaster. Geralt also hated dealing with demons. He has hoped never to to be hired to take out another demon. In the moment when the demon left the dying body of whatever unfortunate being had been forced to serve as a host, and the host crumbled to the ground with accusing eyes, it was hard not to feel guilt. But the only way to get rid of a demon was to destroy the host, so there was no escaping it. He supposed he should be thankful that this time the sorcerer who had been stupid enough to experiment with goetia had trapped the beast in himself instead of an innocent, unsuspecting being. Unfortunately, that also meant the demon had a far more powerful vessel through which to sew destruction.

To make the situation even worse, Roach and Jaskier were waiting in the village just outside the tower, dangerously close to the demon. He couldn’t let the possessed sorcerer leave the tower without risking their lives. They had been heading south towards Maribor when they had heard tell of _something_ that was killing without restraint in the area. By the time they reached the village, every inhabitant had already been slaughtered by the demon-sorcerer. He supposed it was at least fortunate that the beast hadn’t moved on another village before they arrived.

Geralt struggled to match the demon’s pace in the flight, slashing his sword and pirouetting with dizzying speed. Even with the use of his elixirs it was hard to keep control in the fight, keep the demon far away from the doors of the tower. Finally, when he felt his strength might fail, he got close enough to thrust it through the heart with his silver sword. The beast -or rather the man- slumped into his arms. Geralt panted with relief, and stepped back, letting the corpse fall to the floor.

“It’s done.” He yelled, wanting to make sure the bard knew the danger was over. “I killed it.”

“Excellent!” Jaskier called back. “I’m coming, you must tell me all the details of the fight, this will make a wonderful-“

Geralt didn’t get to hear the end of the sentence. He had spoken to soon when he had announced it was over. A spirit, which must have been the demon, rose out of the dead sorcerer’s chest. Before Geralt could yell to warn the bard, the thing rushed at him at break-neck speed and knocked him out.

*

The first things Geralt felt when he regained consciousness were soft sheets and a warm body pressed against him. For a moment he wondered how Jaskier could’ve possibly dragged him all the way to a city on his own, but then a more plausible possibility crossed his mind. _Must be a dream,_ he thought. When he regained consciousness for real he would doubtless still be in the tower, or perhaps the village.

Curious, he stirred slightly, moving his hand on what he realized was a hairy chest, feeling the nipple of the man he was holding stiffen as he ran his thumb over it. The man twisted in his arms to face him and he was met with a pair of familiar cornflower blue eyes.

_Jaskier._ It wasn’t the first time he had dreamt about his friend in such a compromising situation. If Geralt was honest, he had dreamt about sleeping with a lot of his friends and acquaintances. He tried not to think about it too much when he woke up. Thus, it didn’t overly surprise him when Jaskier leaned in to press a soft kiss on his bare collar bone before ducking down under the blankets to find something lower.

Geralt let himself relax and enjoy it as he felt the bard run a hand along his length before wrapping it in the soft, wet embrace of his lips. He let out a low grunt as Jaskier began to suck with expert technique, reaching a hand down the stroke the bard’s hair. His fingers involuntarily clenched as Jaskier picked up the pace, inadvertently pulling the other man’s hair. Geralt let go quickly, not wanting to hurt anyone who would give him such exquisite pleasure, even if it was only a dream. He grabbed at the bedsheet instead, and gave in the indescribably ecstasy of his friend’s mouth.

His other dreams had always ended the moment Geralt climaxed, but for some reason it was different this time. He didn’t wake up somewhere else after the bard swallowed down every last drop of him. Instead, he felt Jaskier wiggle back up into his arms. Met his lips with his own as they came up to kiss him. It was only when Jaskier had rested his head and began to snore on Geralt’s chest that Geralt drifted back into unconsciousness.

*

The next time Geralt woke was thanks to a loud, jarring, mysterious beeping noise coming from somewhere to his left. Reflexes still quick even in his sleepy state, Geralt twisted towards the source, wanting to find and stop whatever devilry was responsible for the sound. Before he came into contact with anything else, he bumped against a warm body lying beside him.

“Oi, watch where you’re thrashing! I’m turning it off!” Jaskier yelled in annoyance.

“What the fuck is making that noise?” Geralt growled. Opening his eyes he noticed that the bed they were in was oddly similar to the bed from his dream. And unlike any other bed he had seen in his life.

“Our alarm?” Jaskier answered him, giving him a bemused look. “The one that wakes us up every morning?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” Geralt asked, even more confused.

“Are you alright, love?” Jaskier asked, leaning closer and holding Geralt’s gaze. “You don’t look so good.”

Then he leaned in and kissed Geralt on the corner of the mouth.

While the bard had never completely respected Geralt’s personal space, there were some lines even Jaskier did not cross, at least outside of Geralt’s dreams. In his current state on confusion, Geralt reacted a bit more strongly than he might have otherwise and shoved Jaskier away hard.

“The hell was that for?” The bard snapped. “If you want space then fucking say so. I can’t believe you this morning! You’ve never been vi- treated me like that before!”

Geralt stared at Jaskier dumbfounded. Hadn’t he punched him in the stomach the day they met? Hadn’t that been similar? He grew even more confused and felt a twinge of guilt when he saw the tears dripping down Jaskier’s cheek. Unable to bear looking at the bard’s betrayed expression a second longer, he glanced around the room. It was strange to him, the shelf full of odd items he had never seen before. Many things were colored brighter than they ought to be. It reminded him of the home of a sorceress, except even more confounding.

“Where the fuck are we?”

“Home,” Jaskier sniffed. When Geralt looked back at him he was even more distraught.

“The hell does that mean?” It had been a long time since he had called anywhere home. Kaer Morhen might have been his home during training, Rivia might be the place he told strangers he hailed from, but there was nowhere he really belonged but the road. He thought it was the same for the bard. He knew Jaskier had family in Kerack, but he had spent time in numerous courts and traveled to countless places around the continent. He had never heard Jaskier call anywhere home.

“Our apartment.” Jaskier sobbed. “Where we’ve lived for the past two years since we moved to Berkley.”

Geralt failed to make sense of any of it. He had never heard of Berkley. He hadn’t stayed anywhere as long as two years in decades. All of it made his head hurt. Then he thought about the demon. How it had flew at him and knocked him out after it came out of the sorcerer’s corpse. Could it have somehow knocked Geralt into a different plane of existence? It seemed the most likely explanation, but it brought him no comfort. How was he supposed to get back? How was he supposed to explain what had happened to the sobbing Jaskier in front of him? He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before giving it a go.

“Something’s gone wrong.” He began slowly.

“Yeah?” Jaskier snorted through his tears. “Is this where you explain why you thought it was okay to shove your husband for giving you a fucking good morning kiss?”

The word ‘husband’ gave Geralt pause, but he soldiered on.

“I was fighting a demon and I think in did something that made me shift into a different plane of existence.” Geralt said as calmly as he could.

“I don’t care what inner demons struggling with, it doesn’t justify what you did.” Jasker snapped, crossing his arms over his bare chest.

“A _real_ demon, not an internal one.” Geralt sighed. “It had already slaughtered an entire- never mind. What I’m trying to say is I’m not who you think I am. I’m not your, uh, husband. I just seemed to have replaced him in this world for some reason.”

“Of course you’re my husband!” Jaskier argued. “Who else could you be? I’ve never met anyone who looks like you do! You feel asleep in this bed last night after we-“

“That wasn’t me!” Geralt interrupted quickly, not really wanting to know the details of what the Jaskier on this plane and his husband, who was evidently a clone of Geralt, got up to. “ _I_ ’ve never been here before. Last night I slept in the woods before coming upon the village with the demon!”

“You were here!” Jaskier shouted back at him. “I would have noticed if you’d left in the night! It’s impossible that you could have gone anywhere! I’m taking you to the hospital, something’s clearly very wrong, we need to-“

“Are there any sorceresses or sorcerers in this world?” Geralt asked, cutting him off. “That’d probably be more useful.”

“Magic isn’t _real_ , Geralt.” Jaskier said in a panicked whisper. “Oh god, you’re losing your mind! We’re so young, I can’t lose you now, not like this. We only got married two years ago! I thought we would have years and years together! I-“ Jaskier’s eyes suddenly widened and he cut himself off. “You… you aren’t my husband.”

“What finally gave it away?” Geralt asked, unable to complete mask the frustration in his tone of voice.

“You-“ Jaskier reached his hand toward Geralt’s chest, but flinched back before making contact. “My husband doesn’t have scars like those.”

Geralt sighed, relived to have finally gotten through.

“So, is there anyone in this world who deals with this sort of thing?”

“As far as I know nothing like this has ever happened before, so no.” Jaskier told him. He had stopped crying during the argument, but he looked overwhelmed. Geralt couldn’t blame him. He glanced briefly at the object which had made the noise which woke Geralt. It seemed to be some kind of clock. “I’m going to be late for work. I’ll be back around five, we’ll talk then, alright?”

Geralt nodded.

“Don’t leave the apartment while I’m gone. I don’t think it’s a good idea to tell anybody what’s happened. There’s food in the kitchen if you get hungry.”

Geralt grunted in acknowledgment and then lay back down on the bed and shut his eyes as the bard- or rather just Jaskier, Geralt didn’t know what his occupation was in this world- shuffled about dressing himself and then finally called a goodbye to Geralt before the door shut behind him. Belatedly, Geralt realized that his dream probably hadn’t been a dream. He wondered if he should tell Jaskier, but it was probably better to let him believe it had been his husband’s cock he had sucked and not just a stranger who happened to have the same face.

The way Jaskier had reacted to Geralt shoving him still bothered Geralt. He still felt it was a natural reaction to having his personal space encroached upon, but it made him wonder if he was too harsh with his own Jaskier all this time.

He though about how the Geralt from this world must’ve ended up in his world. He wondered if he had mistaken the bard for his husband like the Jaskier in this world had. Had he tried to kiss the bard, like Jaskier had kissed the witcher, only to have the bard shove him away with distain like he had? Somehow Geralt didn’t think the bard would’ve reacted so violently. Jaskier was always trying to push closer to him after all. If Geralt tried to kiss him, how would he react? Would he pull away gently? Would he laugh in Geralt’s face? Or Would he lean into it?

Sick of pondering the possibilities, Geralt got up and decided to explore this Jaskier’s apartment.

The first thing that caught his eye was a collection of strikingly realistic imaged framed and set on a shelf near the bed. If Jaskier hadn’t already told him that there wasn’t magic in this world he would’ve assumed that they’d been made by a sorceress or a sorcerer. He didn’t think they were paintings, for he had never seen paintings so realistic.

The first one showed Jaskier and Geralt dressed in black with yellow flowers pinned to the front of their jackets, kissing. It seemed like a former occasion, Geralt wondered if it was their wedding. The next one showed Geralt standing in front of a sign that read _UCB Annual 5K Dash 2017_ , next to a girl with straw-colored short hair, whose arm was slung around the waist of another girl, who Geralt suddenly recognized as Ciri. She looked older than Geralt’s Ciri, but he was sure it was her. He wondered what her relationship to Jaskier and himself in this world was, and who the girl with her arm around Ciri’s waist was. There was an image of Jaskier and Geralt smiling and shirtless on what appeared to be a beach, and a last one of Jaskier and Yennefer, dressed formally but making funny faces at each other. Geralt had never imaged that those two could be friends in any plane of existence.

After thoroughly examining the pictures, Geralt let himself wander out of the bedroom and into what turned out to be a room with a big, plush seat in front of a mysterious black box. He saw something else framed on the far wall, so he decided to take a look at it. It read:

University of Washington

Has officially conferred

Julian Alfred Pankratz

With the degree

Doctorate of Philosophy in Music Theory

Geralt smiled to himself. It was funny that even in this world, Jaskier was a musician of some kind, and that he had attended a University of some kinds, just as his Jaskier had. He was still Jaskier after all, Geralt supposed.


	2. idea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaskier realizes someone might be able to help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ciri has a backstory in the modern universe that I'm not sure I'll ever get to in this fic.   
> In the modern universe she and Mistle have a normal, healthy relationship.

Jaskier hated driving in the city. Usually he made Geralt drop him off at the university on his way to the gym. Today, however Geralt wasn’t Geralt. He had seemingly been replaced by a stranger who looked and sounded like him, but categorized alarm clocks as something life threatening and kisses as a justification for force. Jaskier could only hope he wouldn’t get spooked by the TV or the toilet or something while Jaskier was at work and destroy the apartment.

Jaskier realized he would have to let the gym know Geralt wouldn’t be coming to work and swore. He would have to think up an excuse, tell them Geralt was very sick, or that he’d broken his leg, but Jaskier had never been a good liar. Wanting to at least delay immersing himself in the morning traffic, he dialed the gym once he had settled himself in his car.

“Are you calling to explain why your husband is late for work?” Mistle asked irritably without bothering with a greeting. Jaskier was more familiar with Mistle than Geralt’s other colleagues at the gym, owing to the fact she was dating his best friend’s teaching assistant. On a normal day, it would’ve been pleasant to talk to her. But now he feared it would only make it harder to lie.

“Yes, He’s, uh, quite ill.” Jaskier told her, trying to sound confident. “High fever. Might be out the whole week.”

Mistle swore loudly. “He had five training sessions scheduled for today! How’re we supposed to cover that?”

“You’ll find a way.” Jaskier said nervously. “Sorry.”

“He’d better be fucking incapacitated with fever.” Mistle said. “D’you need any help looking out for him? I still have a spare key to your apartment; Yennefer gave it to Ciri to give to me to give to Geralt but I forgot. I could drop him some lunch later.”

“No need!” Jaskier said quickly. “I don’t want you catching whatever he has.”

“I suppose you have a point.” She conceded, and hung up.

“Shit!” Jaskier said to himself, seeing the time on his phone and realizing he would be even later to work. Grumbling, he drove out of the garage and into the Berkeley morning traffic.

It was hard to focus on driving. All he could think about was how he didn’t have a clue how he was supposed to get his husband back. He didn’t know anything about alternate universes. Didn’t even know where he could start. Would he have to just accept that his love was gone? He wished it was all a nightmare he could wake up from.

*

“My TA complained about you and your husband all morning.” Yennefer told Jaskier in lieu of a greeting when they met for lunch like usual.

“People get sick, what’s the fuss.” Jaskier snapped. After being 15 minutes late to his morning class the lesson had not gone well. He definitely wasn’t in the mood for their usual banter. “Surely it’s happened before.”

“Ciri said something about having to cancel a date because Mistle needs to cover an evening personal training session.” Yennefer shrugged. “What’s got your panties in a twist? You seem on edge today.”

“A man can worry about his sick husband.” Jaskier said without looking her in the eye. “Also I was super late to my first class today. I’m fine though, really.”

“It happens.” Yennefer’s expression softened. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look really out of it. You aren’t catching whatever Geralt has, are you?”

“I’m _fine_.” He insisted, trying to wave her off. But then an idea struck him.

“You’re like, one of the nation’s leading quantum physics experts, right?” He asked, trying to sound casual. The question itself was a mistake though, Yennefer knew he obviously knew her expertise. 

“I’m flattered you’re only now realizing.” She replied sarcastically. “Get to the point, Jas.”

“Do you know anything about, uh, parallel universes?” Jaskier asked. “You did, like, super duper confidential research for the government, right? Did it-“

“Obviously I can’t tell you if it did or not,” Yennefer rolled her eyes. “You’re not even supposed to know I did it.”

“Right, sorry. But parallel universes? Alternate dimensions? Different planes of existence? Know anything about them?”

“Well they might exist, I guess.” Yennefer stated. “But we can’t know for sure. Why the sudden interest? Been reading sci-fi?”

“No,” Jaskier said quietly, feeling disappointed. He knew it had been a stretch, but he had still hoped. “So you don’t have, say, some magical high tech portal or something that can let people travel between dimensions.”

“Obviously not.” Yennefer looked at him quizzically. “Are you sure everything’s okay? If you need help with anything you can always just ask, you know.”

Jaskier bit his lip. If anyone might have a chance at helping them it was Yennefer. At the same time, he was afraid of what might happen if anyone found out about what had happened. If the Geralt from the other world got taken away he would lose the link to his Geralt. The dimensional switch had happened once, so surely it could happen again, as long as he had the other Geralt.

“I… maybe.” He said after a long pause. “I need to check in with Geralt first, but yeah, we may need your help I guess.”

“And what kind of help exactly might you be needing?” Yennefer asked. “If this is a really indirect invitation to a threesome I decline.”

“It’s not that, don’t worry, I know you’re not into dudes.” Jaskier said, laughing a little despite himself. Yennefer had always been good at using biting sarcasm to cheer him up. “I’ll tell you tomorrow if Geralt agrees.” He took another breathe. “Can you, uh, promise that if you help us you won’t tell anyone about, uh, the situation, I guess? And don’t mention I might be asking for help either? Not even to Triss or to Ciri?”

“Of course.” Yennefer said easily. “That’s what best friends are for.”

*

Being at work felt overwhelming, but that didn’t mean Jaskier felt ready to go home and face the other Geralt again. When he was absorbed in teaching, his thought drifted to what he and his husband would normally do when they got home from work, and he had to remind himself that his Geralt was gone and felt another wave of despair. He wanted to go home so he didn’t have to keep pretending everything was normal, but when he was in front of the door to his apartment it was hard to open, knowing that it wasn’t his husband who was waiting inside.

As he took off his shoes, bracing himself for the other Geralt, he found Roach hiding in the shoe rack. With a twinge of guilt, he realized he hadn’t fed her that morning. Geralt was usually the one who fed the cat, since she had been his cat before they had moved in together. She hissed as Jaskier picked her up and took her to the kitchen wear her food was, but brightened up when he filled her bowl.

“Your cat doesn’t like me.” Jaskier turned to find the other Geralt sitting on the couch, staring curiously at wear his guitar and ukulele were hanging on the wall. “Those are some strange lutes.”

“They aren’t lutes,” Jaskier said, he knew he should tell Geralt what they were, but he felt tired. “And Roach is probably freaked out because you must smell funny or something.”

The other Geralt laughed for the first time. “Animals are smart. She can tell I don’t belong here.” He looked at the lanky black cat and smiled. “Your husband named her I take it?”

“Yes, how did you- “Jaskier stopped himself, realizing that the other Geralt and his Geralt might actually be quite similar in some ways. “Do you have your own Roach then?”

“My horse.” He replied.

“Well, I hope it didn’t react to my Geralt the way our cat is reacting to you.” Jaskier sighed. “Horses are much bigger and scarier than cats.”

The other Geralt was silent for a long moment. His brow furrowed, forming an expression that on Jaskier’s husband usually meant worry. Suddenly, Jaskier remembered the other Geralt mentioning something about a demon and grew afraid.

“He, I mean my husband, will be okay in your world, right?” Jaskier asked anxiously, watching the other Geralt’s face carefully. He hoped there was enough of his Geralt in him that he would be able to gauge the level of honesty of the response.

“I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know!” Panic bubbled over in Jaskier’s gut. “Is he okay or not?”

The other Geralt took a deep breath. “Is he a witcher here too?”

“The hell is a witcher?” Jaskier asked.

“A mutant, designed to hunt monsters.” Geralt elaborated quickly.

“He’s a personal trainer.” Jaskier answered, and the other Geralt looked as confused as he had been upon hearing ‘witcher’. “He works in fitness. Helps people train their bodies.”

“A regular human though?” Geralt asked.

“Of course.” Jaskier said quickly. “Are you saying you’re _not?”_

Geralt nodded. “I’m a mutant, I told you.”

Jaskier didn’t know what to do with that information. Demons, sorcerers, and now mutants. The more he learned about the other Geralt’s world the more concerned he became. He plopped himself down on the couch next to Geralt, realizing that the conversation might be a long one.

“So,” Jaskier took a breath. “Given that my husband is, as you say, a regular human, will he be okay in your world or not?”

“I don’t know.” The other Geralt repeated. “I was fighting a demon before I got brought here, thought I’d defeated it but then it rose from the corpse of it’s host and brought me here. Usually when you kill the host the demon goes away. But considering it managed to pull me into another plane of existence after the host died, I don’t know. And that’s assuming that your husband actually did take my place in my world, which we can’t be sure of.”

“But where else would he be?” Jaskier felt the pitch of his voice raise in octave with fear.

“Anything’s possible. Who knows? He might be in a plane of existence that’s not here and not my world.”

Jaskier didn’t want to think about that possibility. Didn’t want to think about how it might be impossible to get his husband back, even if they could find a way to send the other Geralt back to his world. He felt tears welling in his eyes. He didn’t want to cry again, like he had that morning. Didn’t want to expose his weakness to this strange, alternate version of Geralt again. Fortunately, the other Geralt gave him an out, or his stomach did. Hearing the loud rumble, Jaskier jumped to his feet.

“I’m going to make dinner.” He said, blinking the tears out of his eyes and hoping Geralt didn’t notice. “Mind if I play some music?”

“You can cook and play, uh, one of those at the same time?” Geralt asked, gesturing to the instruments on the wall.

“Music from my phone, stupid.” Jaskier said, waving it in his hand.

“Phone?”

“Oh of course, you wouldn’t know what a phone is.” Jaskier sighed. “This thing will play music that, uh, someone else played at some point, while I cook. If you don’t mind, that is.”

“I don’t.” Geralt said.

Jaskier was relieved. He shouldn’t have asked, he needed something to distract himself. If the other Geralt had said no to the music he might have gone crazy. He flipped through his phone until he found his playlist of loud and intense emotional songs, which he used for particularly stressful days. He hoped the other Geralt wouldn’t mind that him singing along to it as he cooked.

*

“It’s good.” Geralt said, looking up in surprise after the first bite of the meal Jaskier had prepared.

“Why do you sound so surprised?” Jaskier asked, trying not to sound too offended. “Is the me from your world a terrible cook or something?”

“I don’t know.” Geralt admitted. “I haven’t had his cooking apart from stuff we cooked over the fire on the road.”

“You don’t seem to have a very high opinion of him.” Jaskier commented.

“Well, you don’t expect a travelling singer to be a master chef.” Geralt said. “He usually earns enough coin with his music to eat at a tavern, or inn.”

“I’m a bard in your world then?” Jaskier asked, suddenly curious.

“Yes, a damn annoy-“ Geralt cut himself off, evidently rethinking what he had began to say. “A damn famous one. Can’t go anywhere anymore without hearing ‘toss a coin to your witcher’.”

“Well that’s good to hear at least, I suppose.”

It was awkward, sitting there and trying to make conversation with the other Geralt. He was cautious, after what had happened that morning. He tried to be polite, but it was hard not to get frustrated by how much the other Geralt was clueless about when it came to his world. He thought about suggesting that they watch TV after dinner, but decided against it since that would mean explaining to Geralt what the TV was. How long would he have to endure this? He missed his Geralt, so much that he found himself trying to pretend that the man sitting across from him was his husband in frequent lulls of silence in the conversation. But that made him feel guilty. What if his Geralt was being killed by the demon the other Geralt had mentioned as they spoke? What if he was already gone, lying dead in a ditch somewhere in the other Geralt’s world and Jaskier would never get him back. Jaskier had to know, hade to try something.

“I have a friend who might be able to help us set things right.” Jaskier said finally.

“Oh?”

“She’s a brilliant quantum physicist. Top of her field, might be able to figure out something about alternate universes, other planes of existence and the like.” He went on. “Thought I should ask you before we enlist her help.”

“Alright.” Geralt agreed. “Sounds something like a sorceress.”

Jaskier laughed, wondering how Yennefer would react to being called such. He really hoped they could figure something out. He felt tired. He wanted to bury his face in his husband’s chest and escape the nightmare that had become his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!! Please Please Please comment!
> 
> My witcher blog on tumble is @ciris-kelpie


	3. Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Geralt learns how to use a modern bathroom and meets Yennefer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mentions of events from Blood of Elves and Lady of the Lake in this chapter... so maybe spoilers? It's nothing really major and you'll probably miss it if you haven't read the books.

“Since you’re a guest here I suppose I’ll take the couch tonight.” Jaskier yawned as he loaded the last dish into the contraption he had told Geralt was a ‘dishwasher’. Geralt had offered to help him with the washing up, but he had declined.

“I’m hardly a guest if you didn’t invite me in.” Geralt pointed out. The bed had felt comfortable, but Geralt could rough it. If this Jaskier was anything like the bard, he wanted the more comfortable place for himself even if he wouldn’t say it directly. “I can take the couch.”

“Alright then.” Jaskier agreed as he had predicted, without a fight. “You can shower first then, I guess.”

“What?”

“Shower. Clean yourself.” Jaskier explained. “I don’t know what you were up to in your world before you came here, but you don’t smell great.”

“Is like a bath?” Geralt asked. “In my world we bathe to clean ourselves.”

“Oh.” Jaskier frowned. “It’s similar, but you stand and the water flows in a constant stream from the shower head above you. It’s like rain… or actually closer to a waterfall probably.”

“Is it outside then?” Geralt asked. Geralt did think Jaskier’s apartment was big enough for something like that, maybe a shower was a communal bathing pool with a waterfall of some sort.

“No, it’s inside.” Jaskier said. “Here, follow me, I’ll show you.”

He followed Jaskier to a room full of white contraptions, a white basin with a tap like the one in the kitchen that water came out of, a strange porcelain bowl the size of a chair filled with water, and a small glass stall with a metal tube hanging from the wall.

“This,” Jaskier gestured to the glass stall, “is a shower.” He opened the glass door and stepped in. Jaskier pointed at the metal tube on the wall. “This is where the water comes out.”

“Where does it come from?” Geralt asked, confused.

“Pipes in the walls.” Jaskier explained. He reached down and touched a metal handle at the base of the tube. “You turn this to the left for hot water and right for cold. I would show you, but I don’t want to get my clothes wet.”

Geralt nodded, starring at the metal tube with fascination.

“You can use my husband’s shampoo, you probably have the same hair.” Jaskier told him, pointing to a blue bottle sitting amongst others in a basket on the floor. “And there’s a razor by the sink if you want to shave. Any questions?”

“What’s that thing?” Geralt pointed at the porcelain bowl. Jaskier stared at him in disbelief.

“You mean you haven’t shit- haven’t relieved yourself all day?” Jaskier asked incredulously. “Or did you- please tell me you didn’t leave any nasty surprises anywhere in my home.”

“I didn’t, as you say, relieve myself.” Geralt said quickly, laughing a bit at Jaskier’s horrified expression. “I was a bit more concerned with thinking about our current predicament. I also took an elixir to fight the demon in my world before anyway, sometimes they stuff you up.”

“Oh thank god.” Jaskier sighed. “Anyway, when you need to do your business, you sit on that and then press this-“ he pointed to a lever on the side, “when you’re done to flush it away.”

“Thanks.” Geralt said. “I’ll be sure to leave any nasty surprises, as you say, in there.”

Jaskiers cheeks reddened, and he opened his mouth as if to make a retort, but the words didn’t come.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it then.” He said finally. “Let me know if you have any questions.”

After Jaskier left the bathroom, Geralt stripped and tested the levers that were supposed to make the water come. They work, just as Jaskier had said. While Geralt had bathed in water falls and felt heavy rain before, the shower was the first time warm water had rained on him from above. It felt good.

While Jaskier had been away time had gone at a different pace. He had felt trapped in the small apartment, yet hours melted away as he stared at things he couldn’t make sense of. He had forgotten to eat or move his bowels, too shocked by the strangeness of the world around him.

Unfortunately, the sound of the water wasn’t loud enough to drown out the sound of Jaskier’s crying from the other room. If he were a normal human, it probably would’ve been inaudible, but his enhanced witcher senses picked up the sound. Geralt knew he had probably waited until Geralt was in the shower, where he thought Geralt wouldn’t be able to hear him, before letting it out. Geralt wished he didn’t hear it. He felt like he was intruding on something private.

He wondered if the bard missed him like Jaskier missed his husband. They had probably known each other longer, but Geralt doubted that his Jaskier would cry his eyes out at Geralt’s disappearance. Maybe he would go quiet, play a sad ballad at the end of which a single tear would roll down his cheek- but he wouldn’t break down. The bard knew that there was always a chance that Geralt found lose a fight and get eaten by some monster each time they parted. They lived in a dangerous world. Geralt supposed it was different here. From what JAskier had said, there weren’t kikimoras or rusalkas in this world. When travels didn’t routinely perish on the road, it must be more of a shock to lose someone dear. To be fair the other Jaskier probably hadn’t fallen apart in front of anyone except for Geralt, the intruder in his home who he couldn’t escape. He felt a pang of guilt, realizing he had stolen Jaskier’s space to privately express his emotions.

*

Geralt was already awake when Jaskier went to make himself coffee the next morning. He was sitting with his legs stretched out on the couch, which Jaskier only now noticed haddefinitely been too small for someone as big as Geralt to sleep comfortably on. He thought about telling Geralt he could take the bed from now on, but stopped himself. He didn’t want to give up more of his life to the strange man. He had lost his love, surely that was justification to be a little selfish.

“Want coffee?” Jaskier asked instead.

“Coffee?” Geralt echoed, predictably confused. Jaskier should’ve guess he wouldn’t know what it was.

“It’s a hot drink that makes one more alert.” He explained. “It tastes a bit bitter, but It’s quite good, in my opinion at least.”

“Alright then.”

Jaskier poured two cups and sat himself down on the chair next to the couch.

“I’m going to ask my friend who might be able to help to come back with me after work.” Jaskier told him. “So don’t act shocked when Yennefer’s with me when I come back.”

“Yennefer?” Jaskier saw Geralt body stiffen the moment he mentioned her name.

“You know her in your world then, I take it?” He asked. Geralt paused before answering.

“I know her some.” He said finally. “What’s your relationship to her in this world? Where I come from, she can’t stand you.”

“Well, she can barely stand me in this world, but we’re still best friends somehow.” Jaskier smiled at the incredulous look Geralt gave him. “I’m one of the few people she’s semi-fond of at work.”

“You work together?” The disbelief in Geralt’s expression increase.

“At the same university, in different departments.” Jaskier elaborated. “Campus is big enough that if she wanted, she could avoid me completely, yet instead she purposefully seeks my company. Mostly because she hates the most of her department and wants to stay as far from them as possible, but that’s another matter.”

“So you stayed a professor in this world.” Geralt stated.

“I- yes.” Jaskier nodded. “I was a professor in your world? I thought you said I was a minstrel?”

“You were a professor,” Geralt explained “Until you got bored with it and decided to be a travelling singing.”

“Maybe a future prediction for my life in his word.” Jaskier downed the rest of his coffee. “I should get going. I’ll be back, hopefully with Yennefer, this afternoon.”

*

“I was going to take Ciri out to dinner tonight, so this better be important.” Yennefer complained as she followed Jaskier to his car after work.

“It is.” Jaskier assured her. “I’ll tell you about it on our way.”

“Well,” Yennefer said, buckling herself into the front seat. “Get to it then.”

Jaskier took a deep breath, unsure where to start in order to make Yennefer believe him. She would probably think he was crazy, maybe he should just wait until they arrived at this apartment so she could see for herself. Despite that, she was his friend and he trusted her. If anyone would believe him, it was Yennefer. And, more than anything, he needed to talk to someone about all that had happened.

“Yesterday something went wrong.” Jaskier start cautious. “Very very very wrong. And I don’t know how to fix it.”

“Funnily enough, I’d figured that much out already.” Yennefer commented.

“When my alarm clock went off yesterday Geralt tried to attack it like it was going to kill him.” Jaskier said slowly. Yennefer raised an eyebrow. “I though he must’ve had a nightmare so I tried to kiss it better but he shoved me away.” Jaskier cringed at the memory. The roughness that had replaced his husband’s usual tenderness had disturbed him deeply.

“But you two almost never fight.” Yennefer said, surprised. “You were always disgustingly in love with each other.”

“We don’t and we were.” Jaskier agreed. “The man I woke up next to yesterday isn’t my Geralt, it turns out.”

“What does that even mean?”

“After he rejected my kiss he started asking where he was and talking about demons and sorceresses.” Jaskier finally explained. “We think… he’s from an alternate dimension and he got swapped with my Geralt somehow.”

He waited on tenterhooks for Yennefer to reply, but the silence stretched on and on. Yennefer’s expression was unreadable.

“Do you think I’ve gone crazy?” Jaskier asked when he couldn’t bear a second more of silence.

“I don’t know.” She said slowly. “I know it’s not impossible, but it isn’t likely. I’ll have to see him for myself I guess.”

“Can you promise you’ll keep all this a secret?” Jaskier asked again. “I’m afraid if too many people find out the government or someone will that him away and I’ll never be able to get my husband back.”

“Of course.” Yennefer agreed. “But if what you say is true and Geralt really did get switched with a Geralt from a different dimension, Ciri might be able to help. She’s my research assistant, and I wouldn’t’ve picked her for the job if she didn’t possess considerable intelligence.”

“But Ciri won’t keep secrets from her girlfriend.” Jaskier argued. “And Mistle isn’t the best at keeping secrets.”

“It’s your decision of course, but I think Ciri could keep a secret from anyone if I asked her to.” Yennefer said. “And she was the only other person in the lab with me when- when something similar to what you’ve described with Geralt happened last summer.”

“But you told me you don’t know anything significant about alternate dimensions!” Jaskier said, annoyed.

“I don’t _know_ anything.” Yennefer insisted. “It was late at night, and it was gone in a split second. We didn’t record it and we might’ve imaged it, but Ciri and I both saw it.”

“Saw what?”

“A girl on a black horse.” Yennefer whispered. “She looked _exactly_ like Ciri, but a bit younger. And she had a nasty scar on her face. She was there, and then she was gone.”

“Gone?” Jaskier grasped onto the word, eager for any hope he could find. “So it is possible to leave our dimension!”

“I don’t know!” Yennefer said tiredly. “I don’t even know if it really happened!”

“You and Ciri both saw the other Ciri, right?” Jaskier asked. “So it must be.”

He needed it to be true.

*

Geralt sat up from the couch as soon as he heard the door open. The time had passed slowly while Jaskier was away. Geralt had spent most of the time trying to befriend the cat, without success. When he went into the bedroom the cat ran under the bed. When he looked for her under the bed she hissed at him and scampered out of the room to hide under the couch or in the show rack. He found the food Jaskier had used to feed her the previous night to try to bribe her into liking him, but she refused to touch until he stepped far away from her dish. Geralt was glad that the other Jaskier was back, even if being around him clearly made the other Jaskier uncomfortable. He was beginning to feel lonely by himself in the apartment while Jaskier was at work. In his world, he always had the company of his roach, and often the company of the bard. He didn’t like being completely alone. He had also wished he had thought to ask Jaskier for a change of clothes before he left. Geralt was still wearing the same soft grey pants he had woken up in the previous day and nothing else. He could’ve looked in the apartment for something else to wear, but looking through Jaskier’s things while he was gone felt like an invasion of privacy.

The Yennefer in this world looked exactly like his Yennefer. He didn’t know why he had expected it to be different. She dressed almost the same too, all in black and white and elegant. She stepped forward when she saw Geralt, her expression curious. He guessed that Jaskier had already told her what had happened.

“He looks the same.” Yennefer said, glancing back to Jaskier. “How can we be absolutely sure he isn’t you husband?”

“Look at his chest.” Jaskier gestured to his bare pec. “My Geralt doesn’t have scars like those.”

“I’ll take your word for it.” Yennefer shrugged. “I wouldn’t know, I’ve never examined his chest in detail.”

Geralt opened his mouth to call out the lie, but quickly remembered that she wasn’t his Yennefer. Not knowing what to say, he waited to be asked a question. He was.

“Well, since evidently you aren’t Jaskier’s husband, it’s nice to meet you.” She extended her hand for him to shake. “I’m Jaskier friend, Yennefer.”

“Geralt of Rivia.”

“Is Rivia a place in your world then?” She asked, seeming much more interested in his world than Jaskier had been.”

“It is.”

“Fascinating.” She said, gazing at him intently.

“Will knowing the name of his home help you send him back?” Jaskier asked, beckoning for them to move to the living room so they could sit.

“Not really, I’m just interested.” Yennefer said. “Professional curiosity.”

“Rivia isn’t my home, seeing as you interested.” He said. He hadn’t seen his Yen in months, in his world they weren’t on good terms. He had left Ellander and Ciri when they sent for her because he didn’t think he could face her. But that didn’t mean he want to see her.

“Then why are you called Geralt of Rivia?” She asked.

“It was chosen for me at Kaer Morhen.” Geralt explained. “All witchers choose a name like that.”

“Witchers?”

“Mutants made to hunt monsters.”

“Fascinating.” Yennefer said again. “Since there’s a Geralt in our world, is there a Jaskier in your world?”

“There is.” He told her. “He’s a bard, and you’re a sorceress, Yen.”

Her expression looked pleased when he said sorceress, but soured when he called her Yen.

“Only my fiancé calls me Yen.” She said testily. “And I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Sorry, habit.” He said quickly. If this Yennefer was anything like his Yennefer, he might be dangerously close to her throwing something at him. But she didn’t reach for anything, instead her eyes narrowed at him.

“Does that mean we’ve been, well, intimate in your world?” she asked slowly.

Geralt swallowed, feeling the weight of her eyes, and nodded. He readied himself to dodge, sure she would grab the heaviest object she could reach and fling it at him. He wasn’t expecting her to burst out laughing, but she did. He tried not to feel offended that this Yennefer apparently found the idea of bedding him laughable.

“Jaskier,” She breathed out when her mirth finally subsided. “I must-“ she weezed “-apologize for sleeping with your husband in an alternate-“ she laughed again, “-universe.”

“I won’t take it to heart.” Jaskier said, giving her a pat on the arm and looking slightly amused at her mirth.

“Are you with Istredd in this world then?” Geralt asked what felt like a logical question. Yennefer laughed again.

“I can’t believe my stupid, high school boyfriend who I haven’t spoken to in years is in your world and you would I’d want to marry him here.” She laughed. “God, you really must be from a different dimension.”

“So you believe me?” Jaskier piped up.

“I’ll have to hear from Geralt what happened before he woke up with you, but yes.” Yennefer answered. “Given that he has the audacity to think I’d ever marry a man he must not be from this world.”

“Who are you engaged to then?” Geralt couldn’t help asking.

“Her name is Triss Merigold.” Yennefer told him. “Is she also in your world?”

“She is.” He answered. Geralt hoped she wouldn’t ask too many questions about his relationship to Triss. Doubtless it would only cause her more mirth.

“I’ll have to ask more questions later.” Yennefer said to Geralts relief. “For now, tell me about what happened before you came here.”

So Geralt told her the story of his fight with the demon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you are staying safe if you live in a country that's on lock down from corona.  
> Please comment!   
> My witcher tumblr is @ciris-kelpie


	4. practice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaskier and Geralt prepare for an oncoming storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hints of fluff in the angst this time I guess

“That’s quite a story.” Yennefer said once Geralt finished his account of the encounter with the demon. “I’ll have to think on it.” She ran her hand through her dark hair and turned her gaze on Jaskier. “What were you doing before the switch happened.”

“I was doing what people typically do abed with their husbands.” Jaskier snapped. Geralt could tell by the faint blush on his cheeks that he meant sex. He wondered if he should clarify what had happened when he first arrived and thought it was a dream rather than a different universe. He decided against it, worried that Jaskier would get angry. He felt bad about it in retrospect, now knowing that it hadn’t been a dream and Jaskier had thought he was someone else. But the situation was complicated enough as it was, he didn’t want to add any other potential hang ups. He also figured that if Jaskier’s husband was anything like him in terms of libido, they probably would’ve done it before going to sleep before the switch too.

“I won’t ask you the details.” Yennefer rolled her eyes. “For now, there’s a more urgent matter I should tell you. Ciri had something this morning about dropping in to surprise you and see how Geralt is if he doesn’t return to the gym soon. Considering she and Mistle still have you house key, it’s only a matter of time until they drop in. You should be ready.”

Geralt nodded. He knew it was just another complication, but a part of him wanted to see Ciri. He didn’t know when he would see his Ciri next, even if he did go back. Yennefer would’ve joined her in Ellander by now, and he didn’t know when circumstance would bring him that way again.

Jaskier took the news less calmly, leaping up and beginning to pace.

“We can’t let them find out what happened.” He said frantically. “You’ll have to pretend to be sick. It’ll have to be really convincing; I hope you’re a good actor.”

“I could steal a sample of a flu strain from the epidemiology department for you so he would actually be sick.” Yennefer chimed in.

Geralt looked at her and began to say it was a good idea just as Jaskier said “Absolutely not!”

“I’m a witcher.” Geralt explained when Jaskier gave him a bewildered look. “We’re mutants immune to most poisons. Whatever she uses to make me sick probably won’t even work, and if it does, I’ll fight it off within a few hours.”

“I’d be interested to see your abilities in action,” said Yennefer.

“But how do you know if your mutant powers or whatever will react how you think to a virus from this world?” Jaskier demanded.

“How different can illnesses be?” Geralt shrugged.

“Can’t we just -I don’t know- have you eat a ghost pepper or something so you sweat like you have a fever?” Jaskier asked. “Or we could pretend you broke your leg! I already told Mistle you were sick, but we can just say you overexerted yourself while you were feverish and broke it. That’ll be mush easier! All we’d need to do is wrap it up!”

“I guess that’d do the job just as well.” Geralt conceded.

“Very well.” Yennefer said. “I should head home, Triss is waiting for me. I’ll have a think about if anything can be done about the situation. In the meantime, do make sure he knows enough about your life to talk to Mistle and Ciri without them suspecting anything.”

Jaskier swore under his breath.

*

“So,” Geralt broke the silence that stretched between them after the door closed behind Yennefer. “What do I need to know?”

Jaskier had no idea where to start. He felt like he was being asked to condense his whole life into a few words. It seemed impossible.

“I don’t know where to begin.” He said after a long pause. “I think it’ll be easier if you ask me questions.”

“Alright.” Geralt agreed. “So how did we -I mean you and the Geralt from his world- meet?”

“I met him while I was working on my PhD.” Jaskier told him. “I decided I wanted to be in better shape and went to the gym where Geralt worked at the time for a while. Then we started dating and the rest is history.”

Jaskier knew he should give more details; like how Geralt had later confessed that the main reason he had often spotted Jaskier while he was doing weights was so he could have an excuse to put his arms around him, a how Jaskier had missed what was supposed to be their first date because he had stayed up until sunrise the night before working on his dissertation. But it was too much, and too personal. He had shared some of the details with close friends like Yennefer, but he had barely known the other Geralt two days.

“What’s a gym?” Geralt asked. Jaskier realized he had once again forgotten how much Geralt didn’t know.

“It’s a place people go to exercise.” He explained. “He, or you I guess, shows people what exercises they should do and watches them to make sure they do them properly. There’s like, weights and stuff. Equipment and heavy things people can pick up to make them stronger.”

Geralt nodded slowly, showing Jaskier he understood. “And you work at the university. Teaching music?”

“Yes,” Jaskier confirmed. “Music theory is my area of expertise, but I teach other kinds of music classes to. Used to do private lessons on guitar and piano to make money while I was in school.”

“But you don’t write songs?” Geralt asked.

“I do sometimes.” Jaskier told him. “I sell sample tracks to record companies here and there, but it’s not a full-time thing.”

“What does that mean?”

Jaskier sighed and explained. He supposed the tedium of telling Geralt things that would be common knowledge to anyone else was at least an excuse to put off the harder topics.

“I have my own Ciri in my world, but who is Mistle?” Geralt asked once he was satisfied enough with the previous answer to move on.

“Ciri’s girlfriend.” Jaskier told him. “She works at the same gym as you.”

Jaskier noticed the way Geralt’s eyebrows jumped up on the word ‘girlfriend’. He hoped it was just because Ciri was with someone else in his world, and not because of any homophobia. After the initial shock, Geralt had seemed fine with the fact that the alternate universe version of himself was married to a man, so surely he was cool with it. But he had reacted pretty drastically when Jaskier had kissed him the first morning, and he had assumed that Yennefer was straight. Geralt evidently seeing some of the worry on Jaskier’s face, spoke up.

“Sorry, my Ciri is thirteen so it’s weird to imagine her with anyone.” Geralt told him. Jaskier relaxed, worried cleared. “I guess your Ciri must be older? She looked older in the picture in your room.”

“She’s twenty-three.” Jaskier confirmed. “Mistle is the other girl in the picture. She’s around Ciri’s age, maybe a bit older?”

“So we just know Ciri because Mistle is her girlfriend?” Geralt asked. “And Yennefer knows them too?”

“Yennefer and Ciri are pretty much family at this point.” Jaskier explained. “Ciri is Yennefer’s teaching assistant, research assistant, and she’s been Yennefer’s student since she was an undergraduate.” Jaskier paused, wondering how much he should say. His husband knew everything that had happened, but he felt weird sharing Ciri’s personal matters with a stranger. He decided to try to be vague about it. “There was an incident in Ciri’s biological family her first year of college. She cut ties with the ones who are still living because of it, so Yennefer sort of took her in after that. So don’t ask her anything about her family.”

Geralt nodded, not looking very surprised. It made Jaskier wonder if the Ciri in his world had also experienced tragedy. He hoped not, he wouldn’t wish what had happened to Ciri on anyone.

“There was also an incident last year where a professor tried to, er, take advantage of Ciri.” Jaskier continued. “When Yennefer found out about she threw a fit and used her influence over the school to get the guy and some of his allies on the staff fired. So if they talk about how much they hate certain professors that’s probably why.”

“And is there anything I need to know about Mistle?” Geralt asked.

“My husband is closer to her than I am.” Jasker said. He hoped the fact that he couldn’t tell this Geralt everything he should know about Mistle wouldn’t backfire on them. “From what I’ve heard she’s been through her share of shitty life experiences as well. That’s part of what drew her and Ciri together. They’ve been dating for about a year now.”

Geralt nodded again, then he brought up the thing Jaskier had been dreading.

“So how do you guys, I mean we, act around you friends?” Geralt asked. Jaskier cocked his head, unsure of what he was trying to ask. Geralt reddened and rephrased the question. “I mean, how affectionate are you and your husband with each other when others are around?”

Jaskier felt himself go red too. He couldn’t brush it off as something they didn’t need to talk about. He couldn’t lie and say Geralt never touched him around their friends. Talking about it was bad but what would follow was worse. He would have to pretend that this Geralt was his Geralt. It would probably be harder for Geralt though. Based on past experience, he would probably be resisting the urge to throttle Jaskier while they pretended to be in love.

“We’re a bit cuddly.” Jaskier said quietly, trying not to think about how much he missed the embrace of his husband.

“So he puts his arms around you in public and when you have company?” Geralt asked. “Is that all?”

“We kiss here and there too.” Jaskier didn’t meet Geralt’s eyes as he elaborated. “Nothing to heated. Mostly just pecks on the lips and the occasional cheek or forehead kiss.”

“Do you kiss his cheek and forehead or does he kiss yours?” Geralt asked, not sounding disgusted as Jaskier had expected. He chanced a glance up at Geralt’s eyes. He seemed mostly just embarrassed, but not repulsed. Jaskier supposed it was something. Geralt seemed confused when Jaskier didn’t answer him right away so he added an option. “Or do you both kiss each other’s cheeks and foreheads?”

“We both do, but mostly him.” Jaskier said. “Sometimes when he says something nice about me or when I do something for him he’ll kiss me on the cheek after. And when we go out with friends and stay out late he’ll kiss me on the forehead when I drink too much and need help or if I get sleepy.”

Geralt listened intently as he spoke, as if he was trying to make sure he wouldn’t forget any of it. Jaskier supposed he must be, but it seemed weird to tell someone the details of his intimacy with his husband as if it was information that would be on a test later. But he supposed there would be a test. Ciri and Mistle dropping in would be the test.

“And how would you act if he was injured?” Geralt asked.

“Dot on him I guess,” Jaskier shrugged uncomfortably.

“So you would be more affectionate than usual?”

“Yes.”

There was an awkward pause. Jaskier wondered if it would be worth it to change the lock on the door so they wouldn’t have to put on a show for Ciri and Mistle. Of course, that would make them suspicious, and he couldn’t have that. He was trapped. There was only one option and nothing he could do to get out of it.

“I suppose we should practice then.” Geralt suggested. “So it looks natural when it needs to.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Jaskier sighed, mentally bracing himself.

“Should I try hugging you first?”

Jaskier swallowed and nodded. Geralt took a step towards him, opening his arms expecting Jaskier to meet him half way. Jaskier hesitated a moment, then walked into his arms.

He didn’t know what he had been expecting. Maybe that the other Geralt would feel colder, stranger, or at least different in some way from his Geralt. He didn’t. He was just as warm, and it was just as easy for Jaskier to bury his face in the Geralt’s chest. He even smelled the same, but that was probably because he had used his Geralt’s shampoo. Jaskier closed his eyes. Maybe, for just a few seconds, he could let himself pretend that everything was okay and this was his Geralt. He would have to do that later anyway, so it was practice. He tried not to think about the past two days, tried to pretend that it had just been a bad dream and now he had woken up and his Geralt was there to comfort him. It was a good daydream, and he almost believed it. But when he tried to listen to Geralt’s heartbeat as he often did to calm himself, he didn’t hear the steady rhythm he was used to, instead it was strange and slow.

“Is this how he normally hugs you?” Geralt asked against his hair.

Jaskier nodded against his chest and felt the arms loosen around him.

“Should we try kissing then?” Geralt asked, startling Jaskier. He hadn’t expected him to suggest that so soon, but he knew he shouldn’t refuse. Ciri and Mistle would think it was weird if he didn’t kiss Geralt.

“Sure.” He murmured, taking a deep breath. “Go ahead and kiss me.”

Geralt stepped in close again and reached for Jaskier’s face. Jaskier flinched back as him thumb brushed against his cheek and Geralt stopped.

“I won’t shove you this time.” Geralt told him, correctly reading his apprehension. “I promise.”

“Okay.” Jaskier whispered.

He took Geralt’s hand and guided it back to his cheek, willing himself to stay still. Geralt leaned in, pausing for a moment once their faces were level before diving in. Jaskier could feel his breath on his face. The kiss wasn’t long, but still lasted longer than Jaskier had expected. He had thought that this Geralt would pull away after a split second, that he would show visible signs of discomfort after, but he didn’t. Instead, the kiss was not unlike the pecks he and his husband would usually share throughout the day, to thank each other for little things like cleaning up or making dinner. That somehow made it worse. Jaskier realized he wanted it to be different with this Geralt. He hated the drop in his stomach when he came back to reality after feeling for a moment that his Geralt had returned to him. It was painful. He also felt guilty for giving the affection which he reserved for his husband to someone else. He knew his Geralt would understand if he ever got him back but- it was too much.

“I need a moment.” Jaskier breathed out when he finally brought himself to meet the other Geralt’s eyes. “alone.”

As soon as Geralt nodded Jaskier hurried into the bedroom, closing the door behind him. He threw himself down on the bed, and buried his face in a pillow to cry in peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! It would make my day if you left a comment!
> 
> find me on tumblr @ciris-kelpie


	5. Frequencies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yennefer gives Jaskier a possible solution.

“Professor, did you hear any of that?” Essi’s voice snapped Jaskier back to reality. His teaching assistant had been telling him how one of his undergrad classes was performing on their homework, which she graded. He hadn’t heard a word of it.

“I wasn’t. Sorry.” Jaskier admitted. “And you should call me my first name, professor is only for in front of the undergrads.”

“I tried calling your name, but it didn’t get your attention.” Essi told him. “So will you pay attention now?”

“I will.” Jaskier promised. “Sorry. Lot going on at home right now.”

“I’ve noticed.” Essi stated. “Not marital issues I hope?”

Jaskier wasn’t surprised by her assumption. He usually wasn’t shy about talking about his husband to his students and colleagues. He was even somewhat known for it among the undergrad students. He didn’t think it was anything unusual, but many of his colleagues tended to be less open about their lives outside of work. It must’ve been weird that he hadn’t mentioned Geralt at all over the past few days.

“No, not that.” Jaskier answered. “Just some extended family drama. Tell me the grades, I promise I’ll listen.”

He did his best to pay attention as Essi started over, but he couldn’t help sneaking glances up at the clock on his wall. He was meeting Yennefer for lunch soon, and was eager to ask if she’d found any leads on how to get things back to normal.

Unfortunately, when Yennefer told him what she had found it didn’t dissipate his worries. It wasn’t some miraculous dimension travel machine like he had hoped. Her idea was uncomfortable, uncertain, and felt unspeakable.

“I haven’t found anything definite, but from looking through my research notes and running a few tests I have come up with a theory.” Yennefer told him over lunch. “None of this is provable, as nothing like this has ever happened before, but I think the switch might have happened because of something related to the cosmic frequencies around Geralt at that time. So, presumably, you might be able to make it happen again if you were to replicate the same frequency, or at make something similar to it or whatever.”

“And how,” Jaskier started, thoroughly confused. “Am I supposed to replicate a frequency or whatever?”

“By replicating your actions leading up to the switch.” Yennefer explained.

It took a moment for the implication to sink in.

“Please tell me you’re not telling me what I think you’re telling me.” Jaskier whispered, mortified.

“I’m not saying this just to mess with you,” Yennefer said apologetically. “It’s really the possibility I’ve found that has half a chance of working.”

“ _Half a chance_ at working?” Jaskier groaned. “You expect me to just, well, do it, when you say there’s only _half a chance_ that it might work?”

“How bad could it be to try?” Yennefer asked placatingly. “He’s a clone of your husband, just try to pretend he’s the real thing.”

“But he’s not my husband.” Jaskier said firmly. “And even if it did work, how would I explain that to my Geralt when he came back?”

“Geralt would understand.” Yennefer said.

Jaskier knew she was right; he had only raised the point because he was annoyed at her for landing on such an uncomfortable solution. He knew Geralt would understand the circumstances and forgive him without question, but that wouldn’t make doing the deed any easier. At the same time, the desperate part of him was agreeing with Yennefer, despite his sensibilities. Maybe he could just pretend and get it over with. 

“I wouldn’t blame Triss if she took the opportunity to fuck a version of me from an alternate universe.” Yennefer continued, unhelpfully.

“I call bullshit, you’re still not over the fact that she and Phillipa used to date.” Jaskier interjected. “And anyway, technically we were asleep when the switch happened. Couldn’t I just try having the other Geralt sleep in my bed with me? Even if I was willing to test your ridiculous theory out, I doubt the other Geralt would be okay with being that, uh, intimate with me.”

“You could,” Yennefer conceded. “But the more things from before the switch you replicate, the more likely you will create similar cosmic frequencies, and the more likely you might make another switch happen.”

“Well, then wouldn’t it make sense to try the less drastic option first?”

*

It had been awkward after the kiss, but Geralt had thought that most of it was gone in the morning before Jaskier left for work. The tension seemed to have returned when Jaskier came back. He didn’t look Geralt in the eye when he greeted him, and snapped at him when he saw Geralt had removed the bandage from his leg.

“Ciri and Mistle could drop in without warning!” Jaskier rebuked. “You wouldn’t have had time to rewrap it if they had decided to visit today!”

“It was itchy. Sorry.” Geralt said quickly. He didn’t want to unnerve Jaskier with the fact that he could move fast enough to get it back on in a moment’s notice, or that is sensitive hearing would give him more notice than a normal human would have if someone was coming in. “I’ll put it back on.”

“No, sit down.” Jaskier sighed, gesturing to the couch. “I’ll do it.”

“I’m not actually injured.” Geralt pointed out. “I can do it myself.”

“We need to practice how to act around Ciri and Mistle more.” Jaskier said in a resigned manner, finally looking up into Geralt’s eyes. “If my husband was injured, I’d help him with it. So I should wrap it for you now.”

“Can’t it wait-“ Geralt began to say. He was loath to play at casual intimacy again after how it had shaken Jaskier the previous night.

“No.” Jaskier said firmly, as if he was speaking to himself as much as Geralt. “Not when they could come by any minute.”

Seeing he wouldn’t win, Geralt sank back into the couch. Jaskier grabbed the bandage from where Geralt had abandoned it on the floor, the knelt before him, putting his hand on Geralt’s thigh to support himself as he lowered his knees to the floor. He wrapped it around Geralt’s foot once, then looked back up at Geralt.

“Is it too tight like this?” He asked.

“It’s fine.”

“I’m going to need to wrap it tighter to secure it, will that be okay?”

“Wrap it as tight as need be.” Geralt said. “I can deal with it.”

“I don’t want your toes to turn purple.” Jaskier said, brushing over one of them with his thumb. “Please do tell me if it feels too tight.”

“I will.” Geralt agreed, and Jaskier pulled it tighter, glancing up a Geralt as he did so. Geralt nodded to confirm it felt okay.

His fingers were gentle and meticulous as continued to wrap Geralt’s leg in the bandage. Geralt couldn’t help but be reminded of his Jaskier, and how he had tended to Geralt’s wounds with similar tenderness and dexterity when they too far away from a town or when there was no healer available. The facial expression was similar too, the tip of his tongue visible between his lips, deep in concentration.

“There you are!” Jaskier said as he finished securing the end of the bandage with a few pins and some medical tape. “That looks convincing, right?”

Geralt nodded even though he had no idea how people generally bandaged broken limbs in Jaskier’s world. Jaskier gave Geralt a pat on the knee and stood up.

“I’ll get to dinner than, shall I?” He said. “You must be hungry.”

Geralt thought about offering to help, but realized he probably wouldn’t be much use. The contraptions in the kitchen looked complicated, and it would probably be a hassle for Jaskier to explain how to use them to him. Instead he sat back and listened to Jaskier singing softly to himself as he cooked. The melody was both familiar and strange to Geralt. Parts of it sounded like something his bard would sing, but other part sounded entirely alien to him. It was good to listen to though, he was glad the tension that had filled Jaskier when he walked in the door seemed to be fading. He wondered if that meant Jaskier would be less spooked if he tried practicing doing something affection. He felt strangely eager for the practice. Maybe it was because he was lonely from being trapped by himself in the apartment when Jaskier went to work. Maybe it was because since he had pushed Jaskier’s kiss away the first morning, Jaskier had been careful to give him space. Although they didn’t kiss, he was accustomed to his Jaskier pressing into his personal space. He hadn’t realized how much he enjoyed the way the bard would grab his arm when they talked or shove him playfully until it was gone and he was left with a Jaskier who kept his distance. 

He decided to go ahead with it and went to the kitchen where Jaskier was stirring a pot of soup. Geralt came up behind Jaskier and cautiously put his hand on Jaskier’s waist and leaned over his shoulder to smell the soup. He felt Jaskier tense up a little under his touch, but he didn’t pull away.

“It smells good.” Geralt told him, taking another chance and moving his thumb to give Jaskier’s waist a little caress. He was relieved when Jaskier relaxed at the touch and leaned into him.

“I’m glad you like it.” Jaskier said softly. “Want a taste?”

When Geralt nodded he took the spoon out of the pot and held it up to Geralt’s lips. Their faces were close, Jaskier’s hair tickled Geralt’s cheek as he turned to feed him. Geralt was almost too distracted by the proximity of him to properly think about the flavor of the soup. He could at least tell it was pleasant and told Jaskier as much.

“Good.” Jaskier said, smiling. “Can you be a dear and get some bowls from that cupboard and take them to the table? This is almost done.”

Geralt did as he was bid. He was a little disappointed to end the physical contact, but he was glad to be of use. He hoped it hadn’t bothered Jaskier too much.

Geralt didn’t expect anything else to happen that night, unless Ciri and Mistle showed up. He didn’t want to overwhelm Jaskier again, so he decided not to do anything unless Jaskier took the lead. Dinner was quiet, Jaskier occasionally looked up at him like he had something to say, but it never came out. Geralt offered to help with the washing up, and Jaskier agreed. It was worth it just to feel the brush of Jaskier’s fingers against his own when he handed him a dish.

Later in the evening, when Geralt moved to the couch to sleep, Geralt felt Jaskier grab his arm and pull him the other way.

“Wait-“ Jaskier breathed.

“Do you need something before I sleep?” Geralt asked.

“You can sleep in my room tonight.” Jaskier said cautiously. “On the bed. With me.”

Geralt raised an eyebrow.

“I talked to Yennefer again today.” Jaskier explained. “She said if we replicate the circumstances before the switch it’ll, I dunno, create a similar cosmic frequency or something and it might make another switch happen. So since I was, well, asleep next to my husband before, something might happen again if I’m asleep next to you. Sorry if it makes you uncomfortable, you don’t have to if you don’t want to. I just thought it was worth a try.”

“It’s fine.” Geralt agreed. “I won’t be uncomfortable.”

Jaskier nodded, seeming relieved.

“Tomorrow is Saturday, so I won’t need to set an alarm to wake up for work. So you don’t have to worry about that either.”

“Okay.” Geralt said. Even if Jaskier did have the alarm, he wouldn’t have cared. He had grown used to the sound of it coming from the bedroom every morning. Now that he knew what it was, it didn’t scare him.

“Alright then.” Jaskier said awkwardly, and gestured to his bedroom. “Shall we?”

Geralt nodded and followed him in.

“Weren’t you shirtless the first morning?” Geralt asked, as Jaskier moved to pull the covers over him, still clad in a baggy shirt. “If we’re replicating the events or whatever shouldn’t you be shirtless now too?”

“Ah, you’re right.” Jaskier said. He sat back up and pulled his shirt off, tossing it to the floor beside the bed, then gestured for Geralt to join him.

“How do you normally sleep with your husband?” Geralt asked as he settled into the bed. Seeing Jaskier’s expression, he realized he had phrased the question poorly. “I mean, how does he hold you in the night? Do you lie on his chest? Does he spoon you? Or…”

“It varies.” Jasker answered. “I think that night he spooned me.”

Jaskier turned to lie on his side, back to Geralt. Geralt hesitated, then moved in close, so his chest was pressed against Jaskier’s back. He wrapped his arm around Jaskier’s waist, pulling him a little closer.

“Like this?” He whispered.

He felt Jaskier nod against him.

Sleeping cuddled up next to Jaskier wasn’t a new experience for Geralt. He and the bard had slept close for warmth countless times when the night was cold and they had to camp in the wilderness. Jaskier had never been shirtless those times, but the position had been the same. Sometimes the bard had hummed to himself as he fell asleep and the vibration against Geralt’s chest had been pleasant. He wondered if this Jaskier ever hummed when he fell asleep with his husband.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some fluff, just cuz.
> 
> You can find my witcher tumblr @ciris-kelpie

**Author's Note:**

> Please comment, it would mean the world to me!
> 
> My witcher blog on tumblr is @ciris-kelpie


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